April 9, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
297 
The Stove and Greenhouse. 
Azalea indica. —Tliese rank among the most useful of green¬ 
house flowering plants, and they are not injured fly cutting as 
are most hard-wooded subjects. As the plants go out of bloom 
examine them, and any that require it should be repotted and 
placed in a growing temperature until new growths are per¬ 
fected. The compost should consist of two-thirds peat and one 
of fibrous loam, with plenty of sharp sand incorporated. 
Frequently I have seen the plants in cold houses, wherein they 
have flowered many weeks afterwards, then placed straightway 
in the open. This is prejudicial to healthy growth and free 
flowering in ensuing years. The aim should be to repot any 
that require it immediately after flowering, and others should 
have their drainage put in order and be top-dressed. With a 
pair of scissors cut off all seed-vessels, and place the plants m 
a genial temperature, ranging from 55 deg. to 65 deg., syring¬ 
ing them twice or thrice daily. When the' new shoots attain 
2 in. or 3 in. in length remove the plants to cooler and drier 
quarters for a few weeks, and finally transfer to a sunny posi¬ 
tion in the open to ripen the wood. 
Ghent Azaleas that have been forced should also be en¬ 
couraged to make new growth by precisely the same treatment, 
and after duly hardening off plant out in beds and borders 
specially prepared for such subjects. These can be lifted and 
potted up for forcing after a year or two’s rest. 
Alpiniavittata.— This is a noble subject for the stove when 
well grown. To bring out its real beauty the plant must be 
liberally treated from the time growth commences until it 
ceases in autumn. Now is a good time to repot them, using 
a compost of equal parts of loam, leaf-soil, and well-decayed 
manure, adding sand and sifted mortar rubble. Avoid over¬ 
potting, for to retain the' rich variegation of the foliage a 
limited root-run is advised. Pot firmly, and when the roots, 
reach the sides of the pot and top growth is correspondingly 
active, commence feeding with farmyard liquid manure, alter¬ 
nating this with a. sprinkling of some artificial fertiliser. Con¬ 
tinue this regularly throughout the growing season. 
Exotic Ferns. —The repotting or top dressing of all these 
should now be completed, in order that new roots may per¬ 
meate the new soil before hotter weather prevails. Encourage 
free growth by frequently damping the floors and stages of 
the Structures where they are grown. Although all exotic 
Ferns resent, overhead syringing, it is very necessary to main¬ 
tain a humid atmosphere about, them, especially in the early 
stages of growth. It is well known that they delight in shade, 
but it should not be too dense whilst new growth is being 
made; neither should every ray of sunshine be kept from the 
plants. Full sun for a few hours in the early morning and late 
afternoon will assist in developing robust and well-coloured 
fronds. 
Abutilon Sawitzii.- —This silvery-leaved plant is unsurpassed 
for arranging among Ferns and other plants in the stove or 
temperate house. It is alike useful for the adornment of 
rooms or for table decoration throughout the year. Cuttings 
taken from old or leggy plants and inserted in light sandy soil 
will quickly take root if plunged in the propagating pit or 
Cucumber bed. The cuttings that make the most shapely 
plants in a short time are those taken from the top of old 
unstopped plants. The side shoots are naturally weaker, and 
take longer to grow into good specimens. So easy is this plant 
increased by cuttings throughout tire year that it is not advised 
to retain the old ones, as the young, vigorous plants are best 
for all purposes. When rooted, pot off singly into 2-|--in. pots, 
and keep on a shelf near the light. The best plants are those 
that are never stopped, but allowed to grow at wall in small 
pots. When thus grown they must be regularly fed with 
liquid manure. 
Euphorbias.—The old plants should be brought out from 
the place where they were stored for the winter, and if not 
previously done they should be pruned back to within a few 
eyes -of the point at which they started last year. Cuttings 
will soon he produced by placing the plants in heat and well 
syringing them. They should, where possible, be taken off 
with a heel of the' older wood attached and inserted round 
the sides of small pots, then plunged in a bottom heat of about 
75 deg. Keep moist and shaded, and wdren rooted pot off 
singly into thumb pots, aud grow on freely on .shelves near the' 
roof glass 1 . E. pulcherrima and E. jacquiniaeflora are invalu¬ 
able for winter flowering, and the method of propagation is 
precisely the same. Unless it. is desired to increase the stock 
or to grow large specimens, I do' not advise growing the plants 
the second year. Young plants invariably give the best results 
for general decorative puiposes. K. M. 
Among the Orchids. 
Thunias.—Although not so extensively grown as their 
merits deserve', the species of this genus are becoming better 
known, and are met with more frequently in Orchid collections 
than was the case a few years ago. There is no class of Orchids 
more tractable to> cultivation, and where well done they make 
attractive subjects for exhibition purposes during the summer 
months. They require the temperature of a stove or hothouse 
during the active season of growth, but during the dormant 
season a, cool but dry position, such as a vinery, where frost, is 
excluded, suits them admirably. The plants commence to 
show signs of renewed vitality about the beginning of March. 
When, the new growths begin, toi advance, it is desirable to re¬ 
move the plants again to the warm house, where they soon 
begin to make rapid progress, and by the end of the month 
new roots wdll be observed at the base of the newly-developing 
growth. 
The sooner annual repotting is done alter this the better, as 
it the roots are permitted to advance to too great a length there 
is a danger of their tender points being injured during the 
process of repotting. The old slim-like pseudo-bulbsi should 
have a stick, sufficiently strong to secure them in position, tied 
to* each. They should then b,e^ placed several together in a 
10-in,. or 12-in. pot. Provide ample drainage, say, to one- 
third the depth of the pot, over-la,ying with some sphagnum, 
moss or turfy loam. Fill in the, pot with a compost consisting 
cf good fibrous loam, peat, chopped sphagnum, and a, little 
dried cow manure; add sufficient rough sand and broken 
crocks to make the whole porous. After the plants have been 
placed in position, and made moderately firm about the- roots, 
cover the surface with a layer of chopped sphagnum. Water 
thoroughly, wetting the compost through wdien, potting is, com¬ 
pleted, after which water must be given with discretion until 
the growth gets well away from the base. 
These plants root almost as quickly as they grow, and they 
soon fill the pots, so that by the time the plants are what is 
termed in full growth they will require liberal root moisture ; 
an occasional watering with liquid manure will then be de¬ 
sirable, and every encouragement, is necessary to induce them 
to flower satisfactorily. Soon after flowering growth is com¬ 
pleted, and the plants will require to bei gradually ripened; 
wdien thei foliage has fallen it is then time to place them under 
their resting conditions. 
Insect pests which are most troublesome are red spider. If 
the atmosphere becomes the least dry, perhaps from excessive 
fire-heat, these pests make their appearance, and they can be 
removed by carefully washing with a soft sponge; but syringing 
freely overhead in bright, weather generally keeps these pests 
in check. Thrips, especially black thrips, attack the foliage 
and flowers; where there are flower-borders near or tree® over- 
hanging the honses, these pests; get blown from then 1 haunts 
through the open ventilators into; the house, so that one' has, to 
be constantly on the look out. Regular intervals of fumigation 
and spraying is the safest remedy to prevent injury. I find, 
by spraying once a, week and regular fort-nightly fumigation, 
the only efficient remedy in the warm divisions of our Orchid 
house®. This is more particularly desirable at the present 
season, as the new growths are the most, likely subjects' to be 
easily and permanently injured or disfigured. H. J. 
